Yankees fans may want to look away. The team raced out to a big AL East lead in May, then completely unraveled in June and July. It allowed the Blue Jays to steal the division. Strong individual years from Aaron Judge and Max Fried couldn’t mask the collapse. That’s why the Yankees’ silence in a competitive market only fueled the anger, with much of the blame landing on Brian Cashman.

“I specifically picked a picture of Aaron Judge, put a little help me sign on there because Lord have mercy. Are we just wasting years of Aaron Judge? It’s unbelievable to me. Where’s the urgency in this club? There is none. Honestly, at this point in the offseason, I think every shot directed towards the Yankees is called for. They’ve done nothing. They’ve done absolutely nothing,” NYY Underground discussed the Yankees’ quiet offseason.

It’s just sad at this point.

Aaron Judge is still one of the best players in baseball, period. In 2025, he led the majors in batting average (.331), on-base percentage, and slugging percentage while crushing 53 home runs. Individually, he’s doing everything. Team-wise? The Yankees still haven’t won a World Series during his tenure, and most of the heat for that has fallen on GM Brian Cashman.

What makes it worse is that Judge is now 33, and the team is wasting his prime years by not fully committing to upgrades. So far, the Yankees have added just one outside player to the 40-man roster: Rule 5 pick Cade Winquest. Realistically, this move is unlikely to move the needle. The team has only been doing things internally.

Since the World Series ended, the Yankees have re-signed four of their free agents, including key contributors from 2025.

That group includes Trent Grisham on a $22.025 million qualifying offer, Tim Hill for $3 million, and Amed Rosario on a one-year, $2.5 million deal. Good work. But hardly the bold swing fans were hoping for.

The Yankees haven’t landed a single major free agent or trade target, while every other AL East team, like the Blue Jays, Orioles, Rays, and Red Sox, has made noticeable upgrades.

Boston landing Willson Contreras, via a trade with the Cardinals, was one move that really stung. And they weren’t alone. The Orioles went big with a five-year, $155 million deal for Pete Alonso and added Shane Baz, who could anchor their rotation. The Blue Jays made the loudest splash, signing Dylan Cease to a franchise-record seven-year, $210 million deal. Meanwhile, the Yankees mostly added minor-league-like depth with names like Zack Short, who struggles balancing his defense and on-base skills with inconsistent hitting. And one thing Short is consistent about?

Getting designated for assignment. In 10 games, he went 1-for-9 with the Mets before getting DFA’d. The same happened after being traded to the Red Sox after just two games. The third occurrence took place with the Braves, and then, even last season, with the Astros.

For a team still chasing its first WS title since 2009, it’s hard not to see how far behind they’ve fallen. With the front office offering more questions than answers, NYY Underground hosts are floating fresh ideas. And this time, Bo Bichette has entered the conversation.

A reliable target for the Yankees

With Judge’s prime years being crushed, the front office must look for creative solutions, and pursuing free agent Bo Bichette could be one. Though this second baseman upgrade comes with the expense of Jazz Chisholm Jr., it offers stability.

Bo Bichette’s 2025 season with the Toronto Blue Jays marked a strong resurgence.

He slashed .311 with an .840 OPS over 139 games, including 181 hits, 18 homers, 94 RBIs, and 44 doubles despite a late knee injury. His improved plate discipline of 40 walks against 91 strikeouts contrasts sharply with Anthony Volpe’s 25.2% strikeout rate. It’ll provide the Yankees with a dependable bat within the division.

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Against Bichette, Chisholm Jr. becomes expendable as a trade chip. Chisholm’s flashy power-speed lacks Bichette’s consistency. That in turn makes the swap an offensive elevation without derailing long-term payroll via a projected five-year, $150 million Yankees offer.

Also, Bichette’s World Series sample at second base showed perfect fielding efficiency over five games. This setup pairs Judge with a steady middle-of-the-order presence, avoiding reliance on prospects or hope, and outmaneuvers rivals like the Dodgers in a resource war. Securing Bichette transforms Judge’s elite production into shared contention.